Astronomers Have Caught General Relativity In Action Around Black Hole

1/04/2016

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It is reported from Geneva that a consequence of
general relativity has been observed at its extreme around a black hole that is
hardly computable on Earth. Physicists observed the distortion in space-time
fabric around a black hole. This distorting effect, driven out from relativity
is also known as Frame Dragging. This research was articulated on December 16
at the Texas
Symposium on Relativistic Astrophysics. Researchers noticed this frame
dragging by scrutinizing the X-rays originating from the debris disk
circulating around black hole that is about 28,000 light years away in the
Milky Way.

Black Hole Destroying
A Star. Image Credit: L. CALÇADA/ESO

The theory proposed by Albert Einstein about relativity
explains gravity as the deformation of space-time due to huge objects. As our
Earth creates a cavity in space-time like a ball would do on a rubber sheet.
This notion got less acceptance because it specifies that if the ball were
spun, it would yank the sheet along with it too. Physicists evaluated the Frame
Dragging generated by our Earth by using gyroscopes inside the satellite.

If the principles of relativity had not implemented
correctly, the axis of rotation of each gyroscope would have aimed in the same
direction for ever. But the researchers observed that the axis of Earth’s
rotation is drifted by a hundred-thousandth of a degree per year.

Frame dragging is something that surrounds a black hole
and assembles an enormous mass in a small volume. Whereas it is not possible
for researchers to take the satellite around a black hole, but they can study
the nature of debris orbiting the black hole.

By using the data from the XMM-Newton Space Telescope,
the researchers observed the X-rays released by the iron ions present in the
debris surrounding the black hole. These ions emit X-rays at a significant
rate. Adam
Ingram and his colleagues analyzed how the frequency of these X-rays
changes with time.

According to the changes in frequencies, researchers
deduced that the debris disk is not just orbiting the black hole but also
moving unsteadily from side to side. When the black hole rotates it pulls the
disk with it in the space-time fabric. Ingram described that this frame
dragging effect is 100 trillion times stronger than the effect the gyroscopes
experienced by Earth.

Ingram also suggested that how scientists can use these
X-rays as scanner to see black hole from different positions and many further
studies can enable scientists to test Einstein’s theory.

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